Saint Guilhem le Desert - Gellone Abbey - Clamouse caves - Pézenas

Route: Montpellier - Saint Guilhem le Desert - Gellone Abbey - Clamouse caves - Pézenas - Montpellier
Duration: 7 h
The first stop of our tour will be at Saint Guilhem le Desert, one of the 'most beautiful villages of France', located in the Gellone Valley, it is in a beautiful and remote location, surrounded by the wild and rugged countryside of the Herault Gorges, with steep slopes and cliffs poised high over the village. Gellone Abbey, was founded in 804 by William of Gellone and was then under the order of the Benedictines. Classified as a Historical Monument  and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List under the Saint-Jacques Way , the abbey was a spiritual site from the 10th century on, as a relic supposed to come from the cross on which Christ had been crucified there was preserved. As a result in the early middle ages Saint Guilhem le Desert was an important stopping point for pilgrims, and the village developed around the abbey. There are numerous traditional stone houses and buildings in the village, among the highlights are the Maison Lorimi and the Maison Sandonato, with their facades containing numerous stone arches. Also in the middle of the village is the 12th century Tour des Prisons. The Place de la Liberte is a quiet square surounded by ancient houses and dominated by a plane tree, said to be more than 160 years old. You will find a cafe and several small shops in the square. It is a charming place to sit and soak up the peaceful atmosphere.The next stop in the tour will be three kilometres from the medieval village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, the Clamouse cave is rich in concretions and arouses delight. After the underground river, the visitors discover the halls, in which the magnificent concretions decorate grounds, ceilings and walls. In the white corridor and the eccentric room, the show of fine white concretions is striking. After visit we will drive to Pézenas which is a City of Art and History boasting a beautiful heritage: numerous mansions of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, such as the Lacoste mansion, the Malibran mansion and the Alfonce mansion succeed one another. Beautiful paved streets lined with craft workshops cheer up the stroll. Besides, Pézenas is unusual in that it has been Molière's place of residence of in the 17th century. The House of Art professions, situated in the former consular house, is dedicated to know-how and art professions. After we will return to Montpellier.
Price: per person